Differences in stability effects on the marine survival of hatchery pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) within the upwelling and downwelling domains of the northeast Pacific Ocean

Regional coastal conditions have a strong influence on juvenile salmon survival during their critical first months in the marine environment. Salmon (genus Oncorhynchus) survival has been thought to be favored within the high latitude downwelling domain if water column stabilities increase, whereas stability may have the opposite effect in upwelling-dominated lower latitudes. In this study, the relationships between water column stabilities during early marine residence of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in both the upwelling and downwelling domains of the northeast Pacific Ocean and marine survival rates for hatchery stocks ranging from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Kodiak Island, Alaska, were explored. Contrary to expectation, there was no clear difference in the effect of stability on marine survival rates in the downwelling and upwelling domains. In both domains, marine survival rates increased for pink salmon stocks that experienced below-average stability on the inner shelf during early marine residence. Stability effects from the outer shelf showed no consistent relationship to marine survival within the northeast Pacific.